


Time Stand Still

by DistantStar



Series: One Shots [1]
Category: clexa - Fandom
Genre: F/F, It all seems ordinary, Lexa moves to Azgeda, Modern AU, No Smut, Until it isn't, enjoy, time can't touch our soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:13:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23522122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistantStar/pseuds/DistantStar
Summary: An unexpected run-in, in a new town, with a particular girl of her dreams...or...Lexa leaned in the car window to try and get a better look at him, he was older, and had a hat pulled over his head, "I just..I don't have a phone anymore." it wasn't a lie, and she didn't have to admit what she'd done with it. She didn't have to say that it was in a trash can back in Polis and probably it was ringing away. She had kept her most essential numbers, though. But she wasn't ready to call them just yet."What kind of idiot doesn't have a phone?" He grumbled as though he didn't believe her...
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Series: One Shots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1692637
Comments: 11
Kudos: 69





	Time Stand Still

The climate was colder in the town of Azgeda. It was at a higher elevation and completely hemmed in by pines that scraped the icy blue sky. The first frost of the season covered the ground, and as she got off the plane, Lexa was hit by the chill. Outside the doors of the small airport, she shivered as she closed her eyes and deeply breathed in cold air.

It was the perfect escape. No one would think to find her here in a million years. She grinned as she started away from the airport, pulling her bag along the edge of the sidewalk, The street was busy, and several cars whipped past. Some honked as though they expected her to just jump out in front of them any minute, "it's a parking lot, for God' s-sake!" she shouted, as more cars rushed past. They saw her standing there. Car after car took her turn though. It's how it went back home, and apparently, some things never changed. Shivering in the cold, she decided she needed to get a cab, "taxi!" Lexa yelled at the top of her lungs. More cars passed, she tried again, "tax-" 

-a yellow taxi screeched to a stop near the sidewalk where she was standing, and the man inside rolled down the window, "no one hollers for a cab anymore." he stared at her like she was an alien. 

"Yes, I know," Lexa leaned into the window to try and get a better look at him, he was older, and had a hat pulled over his head, "I just..I don't have a phone anymore." it wasn't a lie, and she didn't have to admit what she'd done with it. She didn't have to say that it was in a trash can back in Polis and probably it was ringing away. She had kept her most essential numbers, though. But she wasn't ready to call them just yet. 

"What kind of idiot doesn't have a phone?" he grumbled as though he didn't believe her.

Lexa felt her face turn red, and she hoped he thought it was from the cold. She got to the point, "this is my first time in this town," she said, "do you think you can take me to a store where I can buy one?" she looked down at herself, "and a jacket." she needed a place to stay. But she would deal with that next. Usually, she set reservations. But this was impromptu. 

His face scrunched up and he snorted in disgust, "why don't you just go back where you came from? You don't know a _thing_ about living here."

Lexa was surprised. But decided to ignore the question, "if you can get me to a store, I'll be grateful. I can pay you." she had almost said she'd pay him double. But she wasn't about to reward him for being rude. 

He motioned to the back seat, "get in." 

"Thank you," relieved, Lexa opened the door and slid into the car. The warmth of the heater felt good immediately, and as the vehicle started off, she leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. She never was good about sleeping on a plane, and she hadn't slept for days. The next thing she knew though the driver was calling her,

"Miss! Get up!" 

She shuffled and slowly opened her eyes. 

"Hey!" he said again, a little louder, "we're here!"

Lexa sat up straight in the seat suddenly. She must have dozed off. Checking her watch, she realized she had to have been in the car almost twenty whole minutes when it felt like she had only closed her eyes a second ago, "sorry." she said, looking up at the driver. He shrugged and grunted and motioned to the world outside the windows. From where she was seated, it looked like he'd brought her to a Walmart, or something, "that will do." she decided, "how much do I owe you?"

He named the price. She paid the fare and, at the last minute, added in another twenty from her wallet. Yeah, he might have been rude. But she didn't know what it was like to drive a cab for a living, and he might have a family. Lexa scrambled out of the car to not give him a chance to protest. But he sped right off soon as she closed the door, splashing sleet on her. She snorted and shook her head, laughing under her breath. Apparently, he decided he had to get out of there before he changed his mind. 

With a soft grunt of non-surprise considering his manners the entire twenty minutes or so she knew him, Lexa shook her head and turned around to face the building. A steady stream of people moved in and out the doors, pushing carts. A man and his family just emerged; he was rolling a cart and talking to someone on the phone while his kids jumped everywhere. Lexa had to quickly get out of his way, not sure if he even saw her. As he went on past, she ducked through the door and made it inside. The familiar environment of the store surrounded her, the registers, rows of them with only a few actually in use, the clothes department straight ahead, and the food department off to the left. 

She wanted to make this quick, so she hurried to the clothes department. As the racks swallowed her up, she tried to keep an eye out on what was there since she might need more clothes soon if she was in town for a while. The jackets though were along the back. There were ones that were warm and puffy. There were leather ones and ones that were flannel lined with soft wool that looked like they were made to keep warm. Lexa quickly pulled out a green one that would fit her form snuggly and belted at the waist. Draping it over her arm, she made her way through the department to the accessories section and got a dark gray woolen beanie that would match her jeans. And she had an idea that the snow could get deep. So she followed up the hat with a trip to the shoe department. Lastly, she moved to electronics. 

She was able to remember when the electronics department had rows of stereos and cds, barely any computers, and phones nowhere in sight. Now there were rows of computers, and each store had at least a whole row of phones and another dedicated to accessories. Standing in the middle of the phone aisle, she knew a cheap pre-paid would have to do for now, mostly because she could toss it again if she had to. 

"Can I help you?" A male voice off to her left suddenly asked, and she had been so absorbed in her thoughts and staring at boxed phones and pre-paid cards that she jumped a mile in her skin. Catching her breath, Lexa turned to face him. He was older, balding, and had glasses and, at the same time, was not too much taller than she. She glanced at the tag on his shirt and read his name was Larry. Smiling, he shrugged, "sorry to startle you."

"It's okay," she found her voice. "I'm good, though. I just need a phone."

Larry grinned, "well...I thought you might. You are just standing in the middle of the phone aisle." He motioned around them and looked at her again.

"Right…" she murmured and tried to think of a way to get rid of him. Not that he was rude or anything. But she felt crowded by him, and she could tell he was just doing his job, but he was too friendly.

"This one is good," Larry motioned to one of the phones on the shelf. Lexa winced at the brand, and he saw it and asked, "is it too much." It had a hefty price tag for a generic phone. But it might be worth it. 

"No, I can afford it." she might have to get a pre-paid just to be in touch. But it didn't have to be the cheapest thing on the shelf, "it's not that." It's just she knew the brand. She never liked it. Not even just their phones either. All their equipment seemed iffy. Knowing he was still watching, Lexa reached for the next thing on the shelf that she thought might do so that she could get away from him. It had a hefty price tag too, "this will work." she said, taking the box off the holder.

"I was going to suggest that next," Larry piped up, "its good too. Has excellent card plans."

"Umhmmm…" Lexa moved a few steps and stopped being so chatty, not impolite, but she tried to show she was in a hurry as she reached for the largest pre-paid time card that matched the phone. As she did, she caught sight of the computers and looked at them a second. She might have to come back for one of those too.

"Did you want to get a computer?" Larry piped up with a wide grin. 

So he had noticed. She looked over at him and saw him standing with his hands on his hips, "no." she said quickly, "I'm good. This is all I need. I need to get going."

"Well, I can ring you up." he motioned back to his station.

"No, no...its good." she started to back out of the aisle, but did offer him a polite smile as she did, "I got other things too." she motioned down at the jacket.

"We can do that here."

"It's okay," Lexa said quickly, "bye."

He seemed to get the idea finally, "okay…" he started waving, "but come back again."

"Maybe," Lexa said, and then turned and practically dashed to the front of the store, reminding herself if she did come here again to try and avoid the electronics department. If that was possible. Because she would need a computer eventually if she was here long. She almost ran over a woman and her kids in her run,

"Hey!" the woman shouted, grabbing the two little boys back.

"Sorry!" Lexa called over her shoulder before dashing on. She got into one of the lines and stopped and glanced at the time. 4:30. Not that it mattered. But she knew she had to find a place before dark and finally registered that the person in front of her in line had a massive pile of stuff they wanted to buy that the cashier was quickly trying to ring up. So it would be a few minutes. She tried to pace her mind, to catch her breath, and not worry. But as she stood there in line, she remembered all the reasons she had left home, and she wasn't sure if she could go back.

"It's your turn." the woman behind her said, breaking into her thoughts.

"Oh," Lexa snapped out of it. Indeed it was, she quickly put her items on the conveyor belt and moved to wait to pay as the woman behind the register rang her up. When her things were through and bagged, Lexa pulled out the cash, "here. Will this work?"

The woman just nodded and didn't say anything. Not impressed so far by customer service today, Lexa handed her the money. As the woman put it in the drawer, Lexa realized she had to ask, "is there a hotel near here?"

Glancing over her shoulder at her, the woman wrinkled her face, "I'm not a travel agent." she said at last, after looking Lexa over. 

Lexa was stunned, "I just asked you a question." She hadn't thought the service could be any worse. The lady behind the register shrugged and glanced at the bags she had put Lexa's stuff in. Grabbing them up, Lexa moved away from her register and stood in the aisle trying to figure out what to do next. She could try a phone directory. If there was one. She thought about turning on her new phone to see if she could find something online,

"Excuse me," a voice said, and she whipped about to find it was the person who had been in line behind her. The woman smiled, "I couldn't help but over-hear. Sorry about that lady. She didn't have to be rude."

The woman was older and wearing a hat like the one she'd just bought. But she also had on a puffy coat that was just not Lexa's style. She seemed nice though, so Lexa answered, "it's okay. It's not your fault."

"All the same," the woman shrugged at her, "you from out of town?" 

Lexa nodded, "yes I…," she thought about what to say to that. And quickly decided just to nod, "yes?"

"You don't have a family to stay with?"

Lexa's chest tightened, "no," she said, "not here."

"Well, there is a hotel two blocks north of here on this street. I can give you a ride?" The woman looked at her and smiled again, probably to be less-threatening, as if she was in the first place. 

But Lexa had learned that looks could be very deceiving, and as a rule, she didn't just jump into a stranger's car, so she said, "No, it's okay. Two blocks isn't far, and I can use the walk." 

"Are you sure?" the woman asked.

"I'm good. Thanks for the directions," Lexa answered.

"Welcome," the woman said. Then stood watching her. So Lexa took it as her cue to leave and moved toward the store's sliding doors. Shopping carts were rattled past her as she made it outside. Reaching into her bag, Lexa pulled out the jacket and ripped the tags off and put it on. She pulled out the beanie too, took off the tags, and pulled it on as well. Dropping the tags into the nearest trash can, she set her sights north and started walking. It was cold, and getting colder by the minute. Cars drove past in the road and she felt so visible carrying her bags and she dreaded that someone might stop and ask to give her a ride. But it didn't take long to find the hotel. 

It was a tall building crammed between two others, with glass windows up the front and a giant fountain that sprayed water up in geysers outside. Lexa stopped the minute it came into sight and stared up at it because she had the strange sensation she'd seen it before. But that was impossible. Snorting at herself, she moved forward again, and was grateful when the doorman pulled open the door, "Miss?"

"Thank you," Lexa smiled at him, warm air hit her face as she moved past him and entered the lobby. But on the spot, Lexa froze.

She _knew_ this place. She knew the walls. She knew the granite floor. She knew the wooden benches padded with expensive leather seats that lined the room…

"Can we help you?" a voice to her left asked. But Lexa barely heard it. Her limbs felt like jelly, and her heart was pounding in her chest. She looked up, knowing there would be a giant crystal chandelier that reflected light all over the walls. And she gulped. 

It was there.

This was a place from when she slept? In her dreams, she had been here a _hundred_ times. Her brain was spinning, and suddenly fuzzy. She stepped forward, moving very slowly to stare at the blown glass statues of horses that were near the benches and saw the little foal she knew followed the last one. Lexa stopped frozen, and suddenly terrified, "what the fuck is happening?" she whispered. How could this be real?

Despite the cold, she wiped the sweat from her forehead. She heard strange stories all her life about things like this, about moments like this, about dreams being precursors to events in life. But in her dream, this hotel had always seemed like it wasn't a significant part of anything. Then, suddenly, Lexa remembered part of the dream and the possibilities the thought brought on made her heart race even faster. 

Dropping her bag and everything on the lobby floor, she dashed to the left toward where she knew the hardwood stairs would be because she knew from her dreams if she tried the elevator, it would break down. Lexa ran up the stairs two at a time. 

Lexa skid to a stop at the top floor. Holding a hand to her slamming heart and trying to catch her breath, she looked up around the barren upper lobby. The rug was broken like it always was in places by elaborate carvings on the floor. And Clarke was there, the beautiful blonde girl in the gray jacket and slate blue beanie she'd only ever met in her dreams was standing at the window and looking out, and Lexa was sure her heart was going to give out any minute. She tried to say something. She tried to shout out. Anything to get Clarke's attention, but her mouth wouldn't work. 

She was real too. 

But it was as if Clarke knew. Because that was when she slowly turned around, and their eyes met like they had a million times. Heavy seconds ticked past that seemed like a lifetime as they stood there staring at each other, lips barely parted. Clarke lifted her hands slowly to cover her mouth, sniffing softly she lowered them again, "Lexa?"

Lexa nodded quickly, "yes."

"Is it really you?" 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! For more/about my fics or just to say hi please feel free to stop by my Tumblr at [adistantstarblog](https://adistantstarblog.tumblr.com/fics). Have a great day!


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